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Barcelona Weather
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Our choices for the
Best places to Visit in Barcelona capture the
most popular tourist attractions in the Catalonian capital.
Barcelona is located near the Spain's border with France
and is, also, a good jumping off place for a vacation in the Balearic Islands or Costa Brava. However, we think you will find Barcelona
so refreshing and attractive on its own that you may not want to leave it
for other destinations. It is a place unlike any other
in Spain or Europe.
If you are looking for fun, the
whimsical, or a delightful change of pace, Barcelona is a good place to
spend a few days. Be prepared to change your pace, as Barcelona is a city that comes alive
only at night. Dinner is commonly taken at 10 PM or later and nightlife
extends for hours after that.
Although there are a number of attractions to see in
Barcelona, we find that the whimsical architecture of Antoni Gaudi is a
unifying theme for the city. Although the city's architecture contains
Romanesque and Gothic attractions, it the the Modernista movement, typified
by Gaudi that makes the city noteworthy. Read our separate section on
Gaudi's
Barcelona for more details.
The Barcelona area
of Catalonia has served as a crossroads throughout history and the city has taken on the flavors of
the invading cultures. Carthage, Rome, the Visigoths, the Moors and
France (under Charlemagne) at one time claimed this area and each of these cultures left lasting impressions on the city.
Under Spanish rule, Barcelona was not always been a good place to be, but
since the end of the Franco dictatorship, the city has revitalized and
taken a leading role in Spain's growth and modernization.
The city has a
population of 1.5 million, although the surrounding built-up area is closer to 4.5
million in population. The attractions we describe are located in tourist
Barcelona, in or near the Old Town. Barcelona, as other cities in
Spain, has a crime problem and tourists should be careful in the southern
section of La Rambla and
the Barri Gotic, especially late at night.
See our new map of
Barcelona, which
locates our recommended Best Places to Visit on a map from Google. You
can click the "Hybrid" button to see a detailed satellite Image of the area
overlaid with street information. Zoom in close enough and you can see the
images of people walking La Rambla.
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| Transports
Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) has a very helpful
website
filled with information on their "tourist bus"
and interesting bus routes around the city. |
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Antoni Gaudi (1852 -1926) created
a style of architecture that has been classified as "art nouveau" by some
and "modernism" by others. Whatever you call it, the style is dynamic,
powerful, whimsical and intriguing. From the Sagrada Familia (a
cathedral still under construction) to his numerous "casas", Gaudi's
work is transforming and you should see this work if you visit Barcelona. Follow this
link for views and descriptions of many of
Gaudi's landmarks in Barcelona.
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The Old Town
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La Rambla
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Walking La Rambla, a tree lined
grand avenue, is a great way
to get into the spirit of Barcelona, as La Rambla and its neighborhoods
offer a view into the history and culture of Barcelona.
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"The Ramble", as it is often described,
extends less
than a mile from the Plaça de Catalunya
to
the Columbus Monument.
Its
length is segmented into several areas whose "flavors" are distinctly
different. You will find streets vendors and numerous kiosks offering a wide variety of items including
flowers, books,
magazines, birds and touristy trinkets. In addition, the large number of
tourists make this a popular place with street performers. Since
cafes abound, take some time
to have a drink or a snack while watching the vibrant street life. As
you might expect, the prices
on La Rambla are as elevated as the atmosphere is pleasant.
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In
order to explore La Rambla's neighborhoods you will need to stray
into some of the side streets. One of the best jaunts will take you to the Placa Reial, one of Barcelona's famous
squares.
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If you have a chance, visit
la Boqueria (Mercat St. Joseph/Mercado de la Boqueria), a market specializing in Catalonian foods
that is one of the great central markets of Europe. See this site run
by the merchants of the Boqueria for more information on
visiting.
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La Rambla
grows "seedy" towards its terminus near the port of Barcelona.
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Barcelona Cathedral and Barri
Gotic
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The Cathedral in Barcelona is an amalgam of
recent and ancient architecture. The west entrance is relatively
recent while other sections of the cathedral date from the Thirteenth and
Fourteenth centuries.
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Take some
time to tour the many chapels and examine the plaque commemorating the
baptism of the East Indians brought to the Old World by Columbus on his
triumphant return from the New World.
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Be sure to take time to
see the cloisters.
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The Barri Gotic (barrio is a
district or quarter in Spanish, so this is the Gothic Quarter) surrounds the
cathedral and is the historic heart of
the original city. Some sections of the city's Roman walls still
exist.
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The cobbled streets in the Barri Gotic are fronted by medieval buildings and the
area exudes an exotic, historic atmosphere that seems to portray life in
Barcelona at an earlier time. This unique
neighborhood starts near the Cathedral Seu at the Plaça Nova and continues south
to the Plaça de san Just.
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There are a number of fine restaurants in this area and, if you are
fond of Tapas, you will be very pleased with the variety available.
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Picasso Museum
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Picasso spent his youth in
Barcelona and was said to have fond memories of his time in city.
After initially resisting the founding of a Picasso Museum in Barcelona, he
warmed to the idea and the museum benefited from his patronage. If you
are a Picasso fan, this museum has many works from his early years and is
vital to an understanding of his art and person.
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Museu Picasso is located on
Montcada Street, 15-23 08003 in Barcelona. Phone: (+34) 933 196 310
- Open
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 8 pm
- Last admittance to rooms 30 minutes before closing time
- Closed Monday
- Closed on these holiday dates: January 1, May 1, June 24, December 25
and 26
- Admission
- Montcada Street, 19
- Standard: 6,00 €
- Temporary Exhibitions: 5,00 €
- Combined: museum + temporary exhibition: 8,50 €
- Tickets can be purchased until half an hour before closing time.
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The official Picasso Museum website
can be found
here.
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Palau de la Musica Catalunya
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Another of Barcelona's classic
buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palau is undergoing renovation and expansion. The
interior of the building is delightful and if you have a chance to attend a
concert, do so.
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The building was designed by the
Catalan art nouveau architect Lluís Domènechi Montaner and is extremely
attractive, inside and out.
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See the official website
here.
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Columbus Monument (Monument à
Colom)
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The Monument
à Colom, a tall spire commemorating the
site where Columbus first set foot on his return from the New World, sits in
the middle of a traffic circle at the end of La Rambla. The views of
the city and the old harbor (Port Vell) are spectacular.
Montjuïc
The Montjuïc Hill,
called a mountain by Barcelonians, is the site of many interesting
attractions. There are more places to see on Montjuïc than we have
mentioned here, but these are the best:
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Palau Nacional D'Art de
Catalunya
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If you are in the dark about
Catalonia and Catalonian art, the National Palace is a wonderful place
for a quick introduction. The museum has a fine collection of medieval
art and Romanesque Frescoes.
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Open
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Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 to
19:00
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Sunday and public holidays:
10:00 to 14:30
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Monday: closed, except public
holidays
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Closed: January 1st, May 1st and
December 25th
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Admission: General ticket: € 8,50
(valid for two days, permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and
audioguide in 7 languages)
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The Palau's website can be found at
http://www.mnac.es/index.jsp?lan=003
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Fundació Joan Miró
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Miró, the famous Spanish
surrealist painter, endowed the Fundació with many examples of his work
including paintings, sketches and sculptures. If you are a fan of Miró,
this is a required stop.
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The Foundation's website can be found at
http://www.bcn.fjmiro.es/
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The Fundació Joan Miró is
located in Parc de Montjuïc, s/n (without number) 08038 Barcelona Tel. (34)
934.439.470
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Hours:
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Tuesday through Saturday from
10:00 to 19:00 October through June and 10:00 to 20:00 July through
September
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Thursdays 10:00 to 21:30
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Sundays and public holidays 10:00
to 14:30
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Closed Mondays (except for public
holidays)
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Admission: € 7.20.
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Poble Espanyol
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Many of the buildings on
Montjuic were constructed for an international exposition in 1929.
One part of the exposition was a small village that gathered into one
locale all of the different types of houses that can be found
across Spain. The village, called Poble Espanyol, is an
interesting
open-air museum that offers numerous crafts demonstrations.
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Open every day but hours vary by
season. Check this official site for
more information.
If you need information about another travel destination, try Googling our site or the Web
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